Improvement in railroad-switches



A. B. ADAMS, G. E. GAIN &. R. SIMONTGN.

Railroad-Switches.

No.l53,032. Patentadlulymnsm.

THE BIMHH: 0D. PHOTO-UTILES l 4l PARK PLACE,N.Y.

UNITED STATESl PATENT GEEICE.

ALEXANDER B. ADAMS, GEORGE E. GAIN, AND ROBERT SIMONTON, 0F HUNTINGTON, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAILROAD-SWITCHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 153,032, dated July 14, 1874; application tiled May 28,1874.

To all whom 'it may concer/z:

Be itknown that we, ALEXANDER B. ADAMS, GEORGE E. GAIN, and ROBERT SIMONTON, all of Huntington, in the county ot' Huntington and State of Indiana, have invented a certain Improvement in Railway-Switches, ot' which the tollowing is a specification:

rlhis invention relates to that class ot' railwayswitches in which a single throw-rail is employed, so combined with a spring or springs that a train can safely pass the switch even though the throw-rail be misplaced, the yielding character ot' the throw-rail permitting the tlanges ot` the car-wheels to push the said rail over, so as to obtain a continuous track for the passing train. ll'cretot'ore the throw-rail ot' this kind otA switches has been placed in the main track, which is found to be objectionable for several reasons, but more particularly because the constant passing ot' trains over it very soon wears its reduced end, and att'ects its joint to such an extent that it becomes rickety and unsat'e. Our improvement, designed to obviate these and other objections, consists in arranging the throw-rail in the side track, thus providing a lxed continuous main track with a switch, the throw-rail of which is used only in side tracking, and, consequently, subjected to comparatively little wear and tear.

The annexed drawin represents a plan view ot' our improved switch, the throw-rail oecu pying its normal open position.

A and A ret'er to the rails of the main track, and B and B to the rails of the siding', all spiked to the cross-ties in the usual manner. At the point where the rail B branches oit' from the rail A, a frog, t), is secured, adapted to permit the wheel to pass either onto the rail B or continue on the rail A. The section ot' the rail A within the side track is somewhat pointed where it meets the frog C, as clearly shown. The throw-rail l) is hinged in any approved manner' to the rail B of the siding', so as to reach some distance beyond the pointed end otl the frog (l. The free end of this rail is reduced in width, so that it may enter a recess, n., formed in the adjacent side ofthe rail A in closing it against the latter. Supports d and (Z limit the motion ot' the throw-rail from the rail Af. The throw-rail is controlled by a rod, E, xed to it, and slidin in suitable bearings outside of the tracks. rlhe rod also passes through the eye of a lever, F, and is encircled by spiral springs El and E2 between the respective sides ot' the lever and collars or nuts on the rod, as clearly shown. The springs are sufficiently stiii, so that the rod may be slid in either direction to shit't the throw-rail by the leverl through the medium of the springs. rlhe normal position ot' the throw-rail is that shown in the drawings. There being no break in the main track at the switch at any time, trains will always pass it in safety over this track. A train coming from the side track toward the switch will push the throw-rail over against the rail A in opposition to the spring E, and thus be guided safely onto the inain track, at'ter which the recoil otl the spring El will return the throw-rail to the position shown. For side tracking the throw-rail is drawn over against rail A; should it be accidentally left in this position, the flanges of the wheels of a` train moving over the main track in the di rection ot" the arrow will successively push the throw-rail away from the rail A against the force ot' the spring E2, and the tra-in pass the switch safely, notwithstanding the displacenient of the throw-rail.

that we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Iatent, is-

In an automatic safety-switch of the character stated, the yielding throw-rail D constituting the terminal section ot' the interior ail ot' the side track, in combination with the rod E, springs E1 E2, and lever F, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this speciiication in the presence ot' two subscribing witnesses.

ALEXANDER B. ADAMS. GEORGE E. GAIN. ROBERT SIMONTON.

Witnesses:

C. W. WATKrNs, J. F. BEAM. 

